lattin



@nimh tstts gstmtt @ffice JOHN R. LATTIN, OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO H'IMSELF, E. WOOSTER L ICOMPANY,,AND F. HULL & COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 54,231, dated April 50, 186i'.

MPROVEMENT N SKIRT-HOOPS.

TO ALL WHOM ITMAY CONCERN: Y

Be it known that I, JOHN RILATTIN, of Birminghnln, in the county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, hnve invented n new Improvement in Hoop-Skirts; und I do hereh",T declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, to he o full, clear, and exact description of the same, und which said drawings constitute port ot' this specification, nud represent, in

Figure 1, a. side view of n portion of n hoop-skirt showing my improvement;` :rnd in Figure 2, n vertical transverse section of the lower hoop.

My invention relates to on improvement. inthe bottom hoop, and in the manner of its attachment to the topes, so :isto form n finish at the lower end of the topes, :md-consists in n tope of double fabric, woven with two or more longitudinal pockets, and an open edge so thnt hoops may be inserted through the pockets,=and the topes inserted in'to the open edge and stitched therein, both for the purpose oi' securing the lower hoop to the tope, und for; the protection of the tnpe. i

'.lo ennhle others to construct and usev my improvement, I will proceed to describe the same, ars illustrated in the accompanying"drawings i A A are two of the. tapes, and B B the hoops, of common construction; C is the lower hoop, constructed :is follows, :md ns seen in fig. 2: The covering for the lower hoops is woven in n common tape-leoni, so as to leuve lon'fitudinnl ocliets D D, and on o en u er edne, denoted in red. iin. 2. The covee'in thus woven is Il O g ont into proper lengths, and the hoops .inserted in the pockets, and their ends secured together in the usual manner. The topes A are inserted between the open edges of the tope, :is denoted in blue, tig. 2, then in .n

common sewing machine, or otherwise o line of stitches is i'orrned upon the opper edge of the hoop, Securing the edges nud the tape together. In skirts of common construction, that is, where the hoops are single and independent, the lower hoop is liable to catch and he drown out of shape und often broken. By combining, :1s I do in my lower hoop, two or more springs, Ivincr'ense the strength of the hoop, and, in addition to the increase of strength, it is impossible to drow the hoop outot' shape, ns the covering of the hoops is securely stitched to the tnpes of the shirt. i

I do not wish to be understood :ts claiming the combination of two or more hoops within n single fabric or covering; neither do I wish to be understood as claiming :1. Lottum detarohzihle from the skirt, or forming the lower portion of the skirt from n fabric lin-ving wires running in long pockets therein. i

Hoving thus fully described my invention, what I claim ns new and useful, ond desire to secure by Letters Patent, isi i The bottoni hoop for hoop-'skirts formed by combining two or more springs in a single cover, the upperv edge of which is formed as described, so as to bestitched to the tnpe of a skirt, as and for the purposeI set forth.

J. R. LATTIN.

Witnesses:

A. J. Tlnrrs, JonN H. SHUMwAr. 

